Dreyrugr Fjǫðr
by Children of Darkness
Summary: Sequel to Not Who She Seems. How much darkness can one society truly hold? And how much ignorance? Rayna continues her training and is as determined as ever to help end the war Voldemort dragged her into as a baby, but is what she will discover enough to turn her away from the effort? And how far will the confrontation escalate? Fem Harry.
1. Chapter 1

**Dreyrugr Fjǫðr **

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 1

Rayna woke to a blinding pain in her back, and she arched off her stomach, eyes suddenly wide as she gasped, feeling something pushing at her back, as if trying to push out. Black spots began to appear in her vision as the pain worsened and she kept gasping, trying to call out, but she couldn't. Ardwyad did not seem so limited however. He let out a bark that echoed round the room before he ran for her bedroom door and body slammed into it. The crash as it was brought down was even louder than his bark, and was soon followed by the second one as he burst out of her chambers all together and began howling. It felt as if something was moving, shifting, on her back, and it was tearing at muscle and pulling at it at the same time along with breaking and pulling bones. She could not think past what was happening to her back, and she did not understand what was going on- she just wanted the pain to stop.

Someone was there then, and pushing her down, so she was flat on her stomach again. The movement of her top, up her back barely touched her skin, but it was enough- the scream ripped out of her throat as the pain unbelievably spiked. Her top was left at her shoulders, and nothing touched her back again, so she did not know her father was assessing her back, and worrying over what he was seeing.

It had been a week since they had returned from Midgard, and Rayna had seemed fine in the whole time. What was this, and why was it happening? Her whole back was flaming red, and there were two thick mounds, running either side of her spine, through its whole length. Holding his hand out over her back, he could feel the heat radiating off it, but placing his hand on her forehead told Loki she did not have a fever anywhere else. What was happening to her back? As he watched, the mounds seemed to shift, causing a ripple like effect on the skin that was rather disturbing.

"What's happening?" Ingrid asked as she ran in, belting the night robe she had obviously hastily pulled on over her night dress.

"I am afraid I do not know. We should call Eir, Rayna is in no state to be moved, her back is causing her too much pain for that to happen. Eir will have to come here."

Ingrid ran a hand through Rayna's hair and nodded. Loki left the room and told a guard to fetch Eir, and he saw Thor heading towards Rayna's room, Mjolnir in hand, ready for battle. "This is no threat you can address by hitting it, brother," Loki said, his tone grave. "Rayna is ill."

"How so?" Thor asked, frowning.

"See for yourself," Loki replied, leading the way back to her bedroom. She was whimpering now, trying not to scream again.

"Norns," Thor breathed. Then his face darkened. "Has Amora done something we were unaware of? There was a period when Rayna was unconscious. She could have placed some sort of curse on her."

"Maybe, but I am unsure. I have seen no spell that causes these effects before," Loki responded.

"There has to be something we can do!" Ingrid snapped. She was ready to tear apart whoever was behind this.

"There is."

They looked round to see Odin had arrived, Frigga just behind him. "I have seen this a few times before. With the Valkyries. This is not some curse or poison, or any other form of attack. Rayna is growing wings. However, I do not believe she will be a Valkyrie."

"Why not? What else would be behind it?"

"If she were, Brynhildr would have known she was coming into her powers, that a new Valkyrie would have been joining her ranks. This is different. Yes, Rayna's powers are settling, but not as a Valkyrie. They are late settling, but we all know the reason for that- but her powers are coming to a head. This is her full inheritance."

"Wings," Ingrid breathed. Half of her was relieved- this was normal. She had woken up one day to find a tree had grown in her room over night when she had been ten. Apparently, Thor had been soaking wet for three days, from the constant storm he'd had around him and wherever Loki had gone, things had always become utter chaos around him as his magic decided to play pranks- without his consent, though he had apparently enjoyed it. The other half of her remained terrified for her daughter. She had never known an inheritance could be painful.

Ardwyad whined and licked Rayna's hand, hoping for a positive response from his mistress. He failed to get one and began shifting uneasily, looking at them to help Rayna. Ingrid reached out and petted his head. "What else will come with her wings?" Ingrid asked her father. Brynhildr, being the leader of the Valkyries, was able to sense when another came into their powers, allowing her to reach them and guide them through the change from early on. Similarly, as the King of the Gods, Odin sensed whenever one of his people came into their true powers, and knew what those powers were.

"Any creature with wings, be they magical or mundane, will answer to her. When she learns how to use it, she will be able to talk with any of those animals, and they will do as she asks of them."

"Then she is powerful," Thor noted.

"Was there any doubt that she would be?" Frigga asked. "Are there any here in our family that are not?" She was right of course. While all of the Æsir far surpassed the vast majority of mortals when it concerned strength and power (with a few exceptions) the royal family were all noted for being exceptionally powerful. For Rayna to be anything other than that, even with her birth father being mortal, would have been odd.

"Though she is not a Valkyrie, it would be wise to call on Brynhildr. She has the most experience with these things," Odin said, just as Eir rushed into the room. She took one look at Rayna and the first thing she did was produce a pain relief potion.

She completely ignored the others in the room as she crouched down beside Rayna and coaxed her to drink it, using magic to ensure not a drop was spilt. She had obviously done this before. "I would have appreciated a warning," she said.

"I sensed Rayna's powers settling, but was unaware they would come with wings," Odin responded.

"You mean she is not a Valkyrie?"

"She is not."

"Then Brynhildr does not know? She is not coming?"

"No. We were about to send for her."

"I will have someone fetch her," Frigga said, before leaving the room.

"What can Brynhildr do for her?" Ingrid asked.

"She can coax the wings out quickly- she has instinctual magic for it. Without her powers, this process could go on for days," Eir informed her.

"Days?" Loki asked. The potion had obviously given Rayna the ability to relax- she was half asleep on the bed right now, but it wouldn't last forever. And he did not want to see her in pain any longer.

"It took Brynhildr's wings two weeks to grow- and that was only because her own magic hastened it along," Odin said. "It was rather discouraging to see."

"Mum?" her voice was weak, and full of sleep. Ingrid crouched down beside Rayna, taking her hand.

"Yes sweetheart?"

"What's wrong with me?"

She had obviously missed the whole conversation. Ingrid smiled softly at her. "Nothing's wrong, Rayna. It's alright- your powers are manifesting- one result of which is that you are growing wings. Don't worry; Brynhildr is coming to help speed things along. And Eir is here to help ease the pain if it gets too much again."

Sleepily, Rayna smiled. "'S good to know this isn't a problem." Her eyes, which had been only half open to start with during their brief conversation, closed and her breathing began to deepen out. She was asleep again. Ingrid remained where she was, keeping hold of her daughter's hand. She looked so young in that moment that Ingrid could have believed she was still a child- but she knew she wasn't. Rayna's childhood had been snatched from her long ago. Ingrid would see those responsible pay for that.

Brynhildr entered the room ten minutes later, and surprise registered on her stern features. Her chestnut brown hair was streaked with grey and her wings were grey with white speckles which reached the floor and arched over her head. She was quickly apprised of the situation and she approached the bed, and the sleeping princess, her magic already gathering in her hands. She had urged out the wings from many of her fellow shield maidens before- this would be no different. Blue light danced between her fingers as she ran them over Rayna's bare back, and the thick protrusions, coaxing the growth that magic had already spread up to happen at a quicker rate again. She urged the new bones to grow and strengthen and the new muscle and skin to form to support the structure that she was slowly urging out of the fifteen year olds back as she ran her hands down her back and pulled out, each time moving further from her back, as the two new limbs began to grow out. It took five whole hours and another dose of the pain relief potion before she was done. The wings were huge, a good fifteen foot span and were covered in blood from being drawn out of her body. A quick spell cleaned them up, revealing feathers that were a dark brown on the top for the most part, with lighter feathers underneath them, and then on the underside of her wings there were white feathers, with brown lines running through, like a hawks or a falcons wings.

"She should sleep for another day. Let her rest, and then be sure to have an extra-large breakfast prepared for her- she will be hungry, of that there is no doubt," Brynhildr said.

"Thank you, Brynhildr," Ingrid said.

"It would be an honour to teach her how to fly," the Valkyrie said. "While I have no doubt she will learn quickly enough, the process may be quicker if she has a teacher."

"That would be much appreciated," Loki nodded. "When she wakes, we will tell her your offer."

Brynhildr nodded, bowed to them again and then left the room- there were those who needed to be guided to Valhalla. Ingrid reached out and ran her hand over her daughter's feathers, the softness of which took her by surprise, even if she knew how soft a bird's feathers could be from her time around owls and her father's ravens.

"She keeps surprising me," she said.

"Perhaps her powers should have settled on controlling probability," Frigga sighed. "She defies it all the time." Only Rayna could end up growing wings as part of her powers, and not be a Valkyrie. "You should get back to bed. It is still late."

Ingrid shook her head. "I am awake now; I am going to stay with her for a while."

Frigga nodded, understanding. Whenever her children had been ill or injured, she had always tried to be with them as long as she could. She herself wanted to stay with Rayna, but Ingrid felt she had a lot of lost time to make up for- through no fault of her own- and as Rayna's mother, she would stay with her. Looking to her son, Frigga could see that Loki's decision was the same as Ingrid's. "Then we will leave you be. She will not wake for a while, remember. Do not worry about getting some sleep- she needs you well more than she needs you exhausted."

They left the two with their daughter, Thor clapping Loki on the shoulder in a parting, supportive, gesture and followed his parents out. Ingrid sat on the edge of Rayna's bed and Loki grabbed the chair from her desk and sat down at it by the bedside. Ardwyad took his accustomed position on the end of Rayna's bed.

"Thank you for staying, you didn't have to," Ingrid said, stroking Rayna's hair.

"Yes I did. I may have adopted her, but that does not change that I am her father now. It is my job to be here for her, especially when she is going through things like this."

Ingrid looked up and smiled at him. "Still, thank you. I am very glad you adopted her, you know."

It was his turn to smile. "So am I. I know she looked at me as family anyway, but I wanted her to be sure there would always be someone there for her. I was more than happy to adopt her Ingrid- had I had the chance I would have raised her myself."

"I guess that was my fault for placing the spell to hide her."

"If that is the case, then even more blame lies with us for driving you away and forcing you to use that spell for fear of being smothered. We cannot change the past now, but we can make up for it."

"What if it's too late? She was worried this was a problem. What if they did too much damage?"

Loki leant forward and took Ingrid's hand. "It is not too late," he said firmly. "Rayna is very strong. She may not realise it but she is. She just needs people to help her realise it. That is one of the things we are here for."

"When did you get so wise?"

He looked affronted. "I have always been wise."

"Oh really? How would you explain that tryst of yours with Amora?"

"I was barely fifty at the time, and I was drunk- it was one night!" He growled.

"And more than I needed to see," Ingrid replied. "But it proves you have made some questionable decisions."

"Yes, well, I try not to where Rayna's concerned."

"You did let her get drunk," Ingrid teased.

"We took an opportunity. Plus I thought she might have slightly better tolerance. It seems she had yours."

Ingrid pulled her hand free and lightly hit his arm. "Watch it you." He just laughed quietly.

* * *

Rayna woke slowly, feeling something strange on her back. She began opening her eyes and realised she was not alone. Looking round, she saw her mum, dozing next to her on the bed. She pushed herself up and looked over her shoulder suddenly and then, at the sight she saw, remembered the night before.

"You're awake."

Ingrid had woken up and realised that so had Rayna.

"This is surreal," Rayna said, examining one of her wings, which she had managed to extend down, around her as she pushed herself up to rest on her knees.

Ingrid smiled and pushed herself up and smiled at Rayna. "You will get used to them. They should have appeared a few years ago."

"That would have freaked me out even more. I'm used to weirdness now."

"It is not weird. Your powers are a natural part of you. Wings are simply another part of them."

Rayna looked round to see her father enter the room and she shrugged. "I guess."

He sighed and shook his head. "I have ordered breakfast brought up. You have missed a whole day, but that was to be expected according to Brynhildr- who has also offered to teach you to fly. There are plenty of others who have learnt from her too, so you will be in good hands there. How are you feeling?"

"Strange. I'm going to have to readjust to the new weight distribution," she replied- and was soon proved right. Rayna found it hard to walk in a straight line without being dragged aside by her wings, or even backwards- and she was rather glad that they were not in the middle of any sort of high winds- she'd have been forced to learn to fly when she was blown away otherwise. As it was, the slightest breeze could push her back a step if it caught her wings if they were outstretched. Unfortunately for Rayna, she had not yet gained full control over them, meaning they could open up without her intending for them to open up.

Cedric thought her new wings were awesome. "Think how much better flying will be with them though, instead of relying on a broom! And plus, there are spells that prevent brooms flying through ward boundaries- but not birds. You'll be able to surprise attack quite a few Death Eaters," he told her- after he had stopped stroking them with reverence in his eyes and an awed expression on his face. It was all she needed to be able to tell that Cedric would kill for a pair of wings himself. She couldn't help but laugh at the thought of him experimenting with magic to grow his own, and resolved to make sure he didn't go that far.

The biggest surprise, however, was Hedwig. She had come in from hunting, perched on Rayna's shoulder, affectionately nipped Rayna's ear and _spoke_.

'_I am glad to see you awake again, Mistress.'_

Rayna's jaw dropped and it was Cedric's turn to laugh. "What is it?"

"She just spoke to me. Didn't you hear her?"

"That'll be one of the other aspects of your powers then," Cedric responded, making her blush as she remembered her parents filling her in on what her powers, according to her grandfather, would entail.

"Good morning Hedwig," Rayna said, before absently giving the snowy owl a treat.

"It's a bit strange though, that your animagus form is feline, when your powers are based with winged creatures," Cedric said.

"Æsir are not as limited in forms as mortal magic practitioners, apparently. My lynx form is just one of several I will be able to one day access. Dad can turn into several animals, though he's not demonstrated them yet."

"Well, that will be fun- if we end up going back to Midgard publicly, you could register one form with the Ministry, and keep the other's secret- and no one would suspect any other animal of being you."

"That's not a bad idea," Rayna nodded, handing Hedwig another treat.

'_Is there anything you need me to do, Mistress?'_ Hedwig asked her.

"No thank you Hedwig."

'_Very well, I will sleep now then. But, can I come with you when you go flying?'_

"Of course you can," Rayna smiled. Hedwig nipped her ear again, and flew off to her perch.

"What was that about?" Cedric asked. "I just heard her hooting."

"She wanted to come flying with me when I went. I promised her she could."

He smiled. "That was nice of you."

"Hedwig was my first friend."

* * *

Peter was terrified. He was in complete and utter darkness, so he could see nothing, and there was something about where he was, wherever it was, that stopped him from feeling, hearing or even smelling anything either. At first, the lack of sensation had been what had terrified him most. Now however, it was the fact that he had nothing but his thoughts left to him- thoughts that were getting more and more elaborate as time went on, imagining worse and worse fates of what was going to happen to him. Unfortunately for Peter, his imagination was limited, and he could only think of tortures his master had used on others, and what the Death Eaters had done- and he was a prisoner of a pantheon of deities that were thousands of years old- cruel and unusual punishments had been honed to a fine skill, long before the mortals of the medieval period had begun dreaming up their own ideas for punishments. The isolation was only the way of really unnerving him before his trial.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of the new instalment. What do you think so far? **


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 2

"She's a half breed! She's even forsaking her pureblood heritage by allowing her _Uncle_ to adopt her and giving up her pureblood family name. Hand the girl over, it's no great loss!" One member shouted.

"But she is powerful. We could use her to get rid of You-Know-Who, once and for all! We gain nothing by handing her over to him!" Another responded harshly.

"No, we cannot pursue either option! We do not want another war on our hands with her people! We would not survive that!" A third responded. "We must _ask_ them for their aid. Voldemort killed Lily Potter, Ingrid Odindottir as she is, and they will be angry at that, despite recent occurrences. If we work with them, our society will feel a lesser effect of this war!" Augusta Longbottom would have none of this nonsense about using a child for the benefit of the Wizengamot. There was always another way. Children were their future- not a weapon to be used. She glared at Nott and McClaggan, being sure to let them know she knew exactly where each of their loyalties lay. With two separate wizards who believed their power entitled them to being adored by the wizarding world, and whose beliefs facilitated the tearing apart of families, to reach their agendas.

The Wizengamot had been arguing over what they wanted to do about the whole situation with Voldemort and Rayna Lokidottir for the past six days now and Augusta Longbottom was fed up with this idiocy.

"I fully support Madam Longbottoms stance," Amelia Bones chimed in. "We are talking about the fate of a young girl, who is, as we all know, no ordinary young girl. We could bring about our own destruction by pursuing either of the first two paths suggested. Her father and Uncle alone are a formidable force. I do not want to think how much damage an army of theirs could do to our society. Miss Lokidottir is not the answer to our problems. Her family however, may be able to help us solve them ourselves. We are fully grown wizards and witches. We do not need to depend on a child to solve our problems- or face a fully grown homicidal maniac."

"I am afraid that may be incorrect, Madam Bones," Dumbledore said. He didn't want to do this, but he needed them on his side to ensure Rayna played her part in this war. He would have to confirm the suspicions of the prophecy. "Just before her birth, a prophecy was made, detailing the one with the power to defeat Voldemort. Through his own actions, Voldemort has confirmed it is Rayna Lokidottir who the prophecy refers to. I am afraid we need her to win this war."

* * *

Rayna was sat under a tree in the gardens, reading. Ardwyad was curled up beside her, his head in her lap as her left hand absentmindedly ran through the fur between his ears. They perked suddenly and he lifted his head, looking back towards the palace and gave a soft 'whuff'. Rayna looked up and smiled at her mum.

"How did your lesson go?"

That morning, Rayna had spent a few hours with Brynhildr. She smiled remembering. "It went well. She taught me how to retract my wings to start with, which will come in useful. I can still feel them. My back feels like it did before they came out now, but to a slightly lesser extent. Brynhildr says that is normal though, and the feeling will completely disappear as I get used to them. And my back looks normal too. But I suppose I'm still going to need my clothes modified to let them out when I use them. I also learned some wing exercises too. I didn't do more than get a few feet off the ground, but they're new and need exercise before I get to fly any long distances."

"It will be like using any muscles I suppose," Ingrid agreed. "You won't be able to just fly like you could on a broom. Like your defence training. You could not go straight to sword fighting, you had to build up to it."

Rayna nodded. She had only recently began learning how to use a small, lightweight short sword that had been made especially for her. Her mother had given it to her as a gift. But she was right, it would take time, but Rayna was willing to work for it. She loved flying, and to be able to fly on her own without the aid of a broomstick would be a dream come true. "There's more people here than usual. Is there a feast I didn't know about being prepared for or something?"

"No. Pettigrew's trial is tomorrow. They are coming for that. Many people have been waiting for this, and for Voldemort's trial."

"Do I have to go?" Rayna asked, frowning.

"Yes, but you will not need to say anything. You showed your father, Uncle and Grandparents your memories, so your father can speak for you if you wish. He will explain he was not the only one to witness the memories, so should neither you or anyone else contradict what he says, it will be taken as truth against Pettigrew."

"Wouldn't they want to see my memories?"

"Not really, seeing as your grandfather was the one to see them. He is the one who will be doing the sentencing, it's just a matter of giving the court the big picture."

"What about Pettigrew?"

"He will have his chance to speak, but it probably won't do him any good. From what I know, he had no decent reasons for doing what he did. Being too afraid to say no to Voldemort is not an excuse that will see pity emerge from the court."

Rayna nodded. She knew very well that this was a warrior culture. Cowardice would not be viewed as an acceptable excuse. Especially not for a crime that seemed to have plunged many of the people here into mourning if what she had learnt was true.

"Come, there is somewhere I wish to show you," Ingrid said, standing, and holding her hand out to her daughter. "I used to go there all the time."

"Where?"

"An orphanage. I used to go regularly to read to the children and play with them. They had only those who ran the orphanage to care for them, so I tried to be there for them too. They become really happy, just to have someone else to spend some time with. It will also be a good learning point for you. It is our responsibility to look after the people. This will be a good start for you. Charitable works are expected of people of our station. It will also allow people to see you are taking your position seriously."

Rayna nodded. It was something that would benefit the children greatly and her to a lesser extent. She could understand that. And why it was needed. It had been explained to her that if those in power failed to appropriately look after their people, the people could end their power. More often than not, that sort of thing became violent. She did not want to see that many people dead, and certainly none of her family.

The children swarmed them the moment they were recognised, pulling the mother and daughter into a large living room. It was obvious that stories of Ingrid coming in to read to past children who had lived there had been passed down, so they knew what was coming. The room, while large and fitted out well, was worn. The furniture was old and had seen much use, some showing obvious signs of repair. Rayna guessed that it was far more important to see to it that the children were fed and clothed than to have new furniture replace the old, and while the clothes they wore were good quality, they too were also old, but well taken care of. None of the children seemed to be mistreated. She would have loved to have grown up in a place like this, rather than at the Dursley's, but what she had now she would not exchange for anything.

"Is there anything in particular you want read to you?" Ingrid asked. This proved to be a bad idea as it caused a mad scramble for the bookshelves by the children, and they were soon back, many of them holding out a book, clamouring for her to pick theirs. Ingrid leant over to Rayna. "Choose one," she said softly.

Rayna smiled slightly and accepted a book from a young boy of about eight who had large brown eyes. She handed it to her mother who opened it as the children began to settle down. Ingrid read one chapter and Rayna was surprised at how enthralled the children were. Then she remembered what her mother had told her. This was something of a novelty for the children. After Ingrid finished the chapter, she held the book out to Rayna, nodding. Rayna accepted the book and continued the reading, the attention of the children switching to her as she continued the book on a travelling warrior looking to defeat a dragon for its hoard. After she finished the second chapter, they spent time with the children, playing various games and helping them with their schooling. It was almost sunset when they set off, Rayna having to untangle herself from two tired young twins, a brother and sister, beforehand. Her mother was smiling at her as they bid farewell to the staff and left, promising to return in a few days.

"What did you think?"

"I think they are doing a wonderful job there. The children seemed well cared for and happy enough, but there was nothing new. Most things showed some sign of repair, which speaks of little money for new items."

"And what would you suggest to do about that?"

"A fund?" Rayna said, cautiously.

Her mother nodded. "Our family has more than enough money to start it up, and no doubt we would see generous donations from the court and more well of citizens. Would you like to have a part in running it?"

"I could?"

"Of course. It will be good for you to learn about organizing monetary things, and what better way to learn than doing it for a just cause? You get experience, the children get new things."

Rayna smiled. "I'd like that. Have you done things like this before?"

"Once before, a couple of centuries ago, for that orphanage, and others for other ones."

"How many are there? Here I mean?"

"In the citadel, only three. But there are more in other areas, and on other realms, some of which I also helped."

Rayna nodded. She was starting to see why others, not just her family, loved her mother so much. A lot of her time had been dedicated to orphans who had no family of their own. An admirable cause.

* * *

The next day was not as good as the last. Dressed in a black dress of velvet, she stood beside her parents, on the stairs between the throne and the court. The mood was sombre, but there were angered mutterings already. Sirius and Cedric were at the very front, waiting to see the outcome of the trial. Waiting to see justice served. Her grandfather called for order and for the accused to be brought in. Pettigrew was a whimpering mess. When he saw Ingrid, he almost fainted. The guards did nothing, just continued dragging him forward, before shoving him on his knees. Odin stood.

"Peter Pettigrew, you are accused of crimes against this realm which include the betrayal of members of my family and their murder, and the kidnapping, torture and assisting the attempted murder of another of my family. What do you have to say in your defence?"

"P-please! You don't know how powerful he is! I was terrified! He was going to kill me!"

"Did you not think retribution for your crimes would be sought? Did you not think that perhaps they would cost you your life?" Odin growled out. Accusations and demands for Peter's head were already flying out from the assembled court. "SILENCE!" The court quieted. "There are statements to be made. As the accused has already admitted to his guilt, that need not be established, but protocols remain. Ingrid, your testimony."

Ingrid stepped forward, her green eyes locked on Peter, her face impassive. "Peter and I attended school together. Since they were eleven, he and my husband, James, were close friends. James protected him from bullies and so did his other friends. He was never treated any differently by any of us. He was one of my husband's groomsmen at our wedding. He saw and held my daughter the day she was born. He fought by our side and promised to help us protect her. So, we named him secret keeper, using our other friend, Sirius, as the decoy. But he went to Voldemort and gave him our location. He sold us out and in the attack that followed my husband and I both died, orphaning my daughter for years! Sentencing her to a life of misery! All because you were scared!" Ingrid's voice was a hiss. At this she stepped back. Her testimony, it was clear, had riled the court up further, but this time they kept quiet, waiting to hear more. Waiting to see Pettigrew sentenced. There was an eager anticipation in the air. The sense that something long awaited was about to come to pass. It was infectious, even to Rayna, who hadn't known she'd wanted to see Pettigrew pay this badly until that moment, caught up in the collective anticipation.

Cedric was called next. "For years I grew up believing that it was Sirius Black who had sold the Potters out to Voldemort, and that Peter Pettigrew had died a hero while facing him down. The year before I died I discovered just how wrong I was when Rayna told me of the innocence of her godfather who had escaped a fortress prison to protect her from Pettigrew- who if displayed with the chance would have handed her straight over to her parents murderer. He did do it a year later. It was his curse that killed me after the trap he and his master and another had set for Rayna took me along with it. After my death, Rayna faced not only the dangers of a duel for her life but cruel torture at the hands of the snake this man calls master and him and his followers. They delight in it. He may be afraid of Voldemort, but what I saw as I painfully watched Rayna after my death, unable to do anything to help her, told me that Pettigrew is not afraid of torture. In fact, he revels in it- much like the other Death Eaters. His terrified demeanour only presents itself when afraid for his own skin."

Cedric stepped back, finished with his testimony. Loki then stepped forward. "Rayna's own memories confirm what Mr Diggory has said. The only times this mortal has been cowardly has been when his own life was threatened. He has done nothing except think about saving his own skin. Because of him, Rayna not only grew up in a loveless environment, but also suffered through almost a month of torture. She still suffers from nightmares, but has the strength of will to overcome her past in her day to day life. He performed the ritual, cutting off his own hand in the process, to resurrect the mortal known to many as Voldemort. He helped kidnap Rayna. He did nothing to try and help her at any point and everything to help himself."

When he stepped back, the murmuring began to pick up, but did not get loud enough for another call to silence to be issued. Odin stood. "Peter Pettigrew, by your own admission and the testimonies against you, you have been found guilty of the crimes you were accused of. Your only defence is cowardice, a pitiful one at that. It is because of you that for years my daughter was dead and for years my granddaughter was tormented, before she was tortured at the hands of your master, yourself and your fellows. As such, I find it fitting that before your death, you are relegated to the dungeons where any members of the court and guard can enact any punishment on you as they see fit for the next fourteen years, with a spell on you that will help keep you alive, but not dull the pain. If you are still alive by then, you will be executed." With a motion of his hand, the guards were dragging a sobbing Peter away, with a man about the same age as Odin following them, his single hand at his dagger hilt.

Rayna let out a breath. It was done, and she would never have to see Peter again. A relief for her. The only other person that would be brought to trial was Voldemort. If he reached it alive that was. But that was for another time, and not to be worried about now. Now, she just wanted a bath. Being near Pettigrew again had made her feel filthy.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it took so long! I hope you enjoyed. The meaning of the title is 'Blood Stained Wings'. Thank you for all the support so far, I hope to update as soon as I can again, but life is very hectic. **


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 3

Hedwig was beside her as she flew the short distance from one watch tower to another. Rayna felt exhilaration run through her as she flew with the use of her own wings. It felt amazing and far better than a broom. She stumbled to a landing, only just saving herself from falling onto her knees. She would definitely need to work on that, but she understood it would take time. It had only been a short distance, but she had loved every moment of it. She had loved the feel of the wind and the air currents helping her retain lift, and her eyes were shining and her hair, which had previously been in a neat plait, was coming out in a windswept mess. Rayna had been in love with flying before, when she only flew on her broom, but now she could think of nothing better. Having wings had increased the pleasure of flying tenfold. It was completely freeing now, not having to rely on an enchanted broom, but just herself and her own talent.

'_You are doing well, Mistress,"_ Hedwig told her, landing on her shoulder and nipping her ear affectionately. _'You only need some more time and practise and soon we will be flying miles together.'_

"I can't wait, Hedwig."

"Well done, Princess. For your first proper flight, that was well done indeed. You need to work on your landings and take offs without needing to throw yourself into open air first, but those will come soon enough," Brynhildr informed her, smiling. "I believe, if you wished to practise, so long as you did it somewhere you would be able to gain help quickly from a healer should something go wrong and you do not go too far or too high, you could practice between our lessons."

"Really?" Rayna asked, eyes wide. Before now, Brynhildr had told her she was not to go more than a foot off the ground, and to only practice her wing exercises which were designed to strengthen them and give her greater control over the appendages.

"Really," the older woman nodded.

"Thank you!" She was practically shaking with excitement. The more chances she had to fly, the better.

* * *

Two figures, a man and a woman, walked down the riverside, not gaining any attention from other passers-by. "They are beginning to lean towards trying to use her," Amelia Bones told her companion.

"What is swaying them?" Loki asked her, his face an impassive mask as they walked along.

"Dumbledore. He confirmed the existence of the prophecy and said that it stated that Rayna was the only one with the ability to defeat Voldemort- an idea that her powers only lay further weight behind. The Minister already has the Unspeakables looking into spells to control her."

A sneer crossed his face. "Then they are looking for a war. Is this matter simply one your country is debating on?"

"Several others in the ICW have expressed their sympathies and offered their aid. Including France, America and Russia."

"Tell me, Madam Bones, do your people have a suicide wish?"

"It is beginning to look that way. I have several Aurors who are very against the idea, but not enough for any sort of real resistance should any sort of act be past. I will be ordered to have my Aurors bring your daughter to the Ministry should they go through with this."

"Then send ones who are supporters of the Ministries decree. Should they try anything, they will not be in any hurry to try anything again. And neither will any of their comrades." He was hesitant to admit to any trying to take Rayna being killed, she may be reluctant to deal with them otherwise.

"Alright then. I suggest you keep her away from the wizarding world for now. Perhaps sending a message yourselves to the Wizengamot. A real threat from your people may deter some from voting in favour."

Loki nodded. "That is a good idea. And we were planning on keeping her away depending on the outcome anyway. I will also ensure a message is sent to the ICW in order for other countries know that anyone who supports trying to turn Rayna into a weapon will also be met with extreme force."

* * *

Rayna grinned widely as she saw her friend. Hermione was staring at the area around her, eyes wide and mouth gaping as she took in the scenery. "This is… how?"

"Beautiful, right?"

"Yeah," Hermione let out a breathy laugh as she took in the scenery that was Rayna's home. She had recently been granted permission to come for a visit. Her grandparents had believed her more than worthy after how tightly she had stuck with Rayna through everything. She had tried to convince them Ron was also loyal, just a bit jealous at times, and thus had a clouded judgement at times, but her grandfather particularly would not look past it. Ron would need to prove himself before he was allowed to visit here.

"Come on, we'll be riding back. Do you know how?"

"I've had quite a few lessons," Hermione nodded.

"Come on then," Rayna said, leading her to the two horses. They went slowly through the city, allowing Rayna to point things out to Hermione, putting her lessons on the city to the test. Hermione lapped the information up like a sponge but was grinning internally at the fact that Rayna seemed happier than ever before here, telling and showing her things about her home. Her best friend's life seemed to be getting increasingly positive, and that, to her, was a really good thing. Hermione could not be happier for Rayna.

"And, of course, there's the library, which I'll show you once you've settled in," Rayna said, grinning.

Hermione's eyes lit up at the thought. She had read the book on runes that Rayna had given her for her birthday from cover to cover. Now she would have access to even more! She had to resist jumping off her horse and onto Rayna's to hug her. "Thank you!" She said, happily.

Rayna's smile widened. Hermione had lit up at the mention of the library and being shown it. She would make sure that Hermione did not shut herself away in there, but she knew this would be one of the things the older witch would enjoy the most.

They reached the palace grounds and dismounted, before Rayna saw Thor, who waved them over, grinning. "Yeah?" Rayna asked, beaming up at him.

"I hear Brynhildr is pleased with your progress Rayna?"

Rayna nodded. "She's told me I can fly on my own so long as it's where I can easily get help, and it isn't for too long or up too high."

"Then how about I see where you are? We can go flying later- like we did those times at Hogwarts."

He found himself caught in a tight hug. "That would be amazing! I'd love to!"

"Well then, tonight, after dinner, we will go flying."

"Why would you need lessons?" Hermione asked, curiously.

Rayna went bright red as she realised it had completely slipped her mind to inform Hermione and Ron about her wings. "My powers settled about a week after school ended."

"Really? And it means you can fly without a broom? I really shouldn't be surprised."

Rayna let out a small laugh, before she extended her wings. Hermione's eyes went round and her jaw dropped, as she looked from one wing to the other. "Sweet Merlin! They're beautiful!"

Rayna's blush returned at the compliment. "Thanks."

"How did you grow them so quickly? They're fully formed!"

"Brynhildr's powers allow her to coax wings like this out over a matter of hours."

"Did it hurt?"

"A little."

"My niece has great powers of understatement," Thor said. "Especially when it comes to her own suffering. But do not worry, Hermione, a potion from Eir quickly dealt with the pain. Brynhildr did the rest."

Hermione sighed. Rayna needed to start admitting to these things. Whether she would was another matter. And it would undoubtedly take time. She would curse the Dursley's for the rest of their lives, or after life as was the case of the now deceased Petunia Dursley, if she remembered what Rayna had told her right. Apparently Rayna's adoptive aunt had been beheaded for what she had tried to do. Something that had not entirely sat well with her friend. Hermione had no doubt though, that if Petunia had tried to harm someone else, someone Rayna cared about, it would be a different matter completely. "Well," she told Thor, "That has never changed so far."

Rayna sensed she needed to change this conversation- and fast. "I'll show you your room. And then I'll show you the library yeah?"

This was just too tempting for Hermione, who nodded enthusiastically. "Alright. But don't think I didn't notice you changed the conversation."

Rayna groaned before they both said goodbye to Thor and headed off. "She has improved greatly since last summer," Thor said aloud, before his brother materialised from the shadows.

"She has. But she still has a long way to go. But it is not an impossible task. She is healing well, and more than that. She wants to heal. She would not have come so far had she resisted our attempts to help her. I will be grateful forever that her magic brought her back to us."

"So will I. At least here, she is safe. What news from Madam Bones?"

"She fears the Ministry will decree that Rayna is to be used as their weapons. She has agreed to send Aurors who will agree with the Ministries position and send us the information on the attacks. She has also suggested we send a message to the Ministry, with an official warning as to what would happen should they treat a princess of this realm as a weapon, or a bargaining tool."

Thor grinned. "Somehow, I doubt a mere message will convey half of what you alone would do with them should they try and hurt your daughter again. Or what Ingrid would do. But it is a good idea. It may well sway enough votes that it will not come to any form of war."

"Let us hope so. For Rayna's sake, at least."

* * *

**A/N: Only a short chapter, but I wanted to get an update out, seeing as it's been so long. And, this was also to explain just what happened to Petunia. **


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 4

Rayna grinned as her friend gaped at the sight in front of her. Hermione was more gobsmacked than when she had seen the library. "It's beautiful!" Hermione breathed.

They were on one of the tower balconies of the palace, and they could see Asgard stretched out before them, framed with the planet and star filled sky. "I know. I like to come up here, and just sit and watch. It helps me think."

"I can see why," Hermione replied, still staring at the incredible view of the realm eternal, that her best friend called home. "This is stunning. I've never seen anything like it."

"Probably because Midgard has yet to catch up with architectural progresses that have been made here."

Hermione snorted. "You can say that again, even with magic, we're centuries behind!"

Rayna opened her mouth, only to be interrupted by Ardwyad running into her from behind and then circling her, looking up, begging her to scratch behind his ears. She laughed and did so. "You haven't been gone long, Ardwyad, and I'm still here. Why are you cutting down on your prowling time, eh?"

"He still in overprotective mode from when you were kidnapped?" Hermione asked.

"Apparently so. I think that my powers settling didn't help. I really worried him that night."

"That wasn't anything you could help. And neither was your kidnapping."

"I could have fought harder. I'd been trained in for months!" Rayna said, upset.

"And you were facing people who had been training for years. This Amora and her partner Skurge are apparently formidable enemies. She was court enchantress here once, you told me that yourself. She is going to be good, and know a lot more than you do. Personally, from what I've heard of that night, you did really well. Your family is incredibly proud of you, you can bet on that."

Rayna shot a small smile at her friend. "Thanks Hermione," she said.

"No problem, now, apart from flying lessons, what have you been up to?"

"Mum and I have been working on organising a ball to raise money for a local orphanage. Want to see what we've got planned so far? You may have a few ideas yourself."

"That sounds like fun. And it's something g new. I've never organised anything like that before!"

* * *

She had been in a fury for weeks now. All Death Eaters that had approached had been killed. It had become a problem that Voldemort himself had needed to step in and order his minions to avoid the Asgardian Enchantress. Amora was itching to get her hands on the brat and her mother. They had completely destroyed her plans and now she was consigned to being bound by fate to these mortals. Whatever punishment was dealt to them would be dealt to her as well. On top of punishment for the crime of treason. Had Rayna just died as she was supposed to then Amora could have killed the Death Eaters and then given the brats body back to her family, lamenting that she had been too late to save the young princess. But now everything was in ruins. How would she ever get him now?

She let out a shriek and sent out a wave of magic, destroying the rooms contents. She had not wished to do this. Two deaths should have been enough, but if she wanted Thor, she would need to start killing others he was close to. When he agreed to be hers, she would stop the death. She would need to get creative to remove Ingrid and Rayna from the picture though. If Ingrid had been brought back once, what was to stop it happening again? For her and Rayna? No, there needed to be a different plan for them. One that would divert Asgardian attention from her.

"Concentrate. Imagine it floating and pull on your magic, telling it to do what you want it to," Rayna said. She was sat in the library, sat across a table from Arya. The young girl had been brought in when her mother had come to work. Remembering her wish to learn magic, Rayna had begun teaching her a few of the things she had learnt since she had first come home.

Arya was frowning at the book. Her hands were tapping impatiently on the table. Rayna placed her hands over Arya's. "Breathe. Calm down, this takes patience as well as thought. Don't think of other things. Think only of the book, and of your magic picking it up, as your hands would. Imagine how it would feel to pick it up."

Arya nodded and took a deep breath. "Alright," she said, obviously trying to let go of her frustrations. A minute more of her staring at the book, they saw it shake and begin to rise. It hovered for a moment, before it dropped.

Rayna grinned and smiled. "You did it!"

"Only for a moment," the younger girl huffed.

"Oh, but that's just the start. It just takes practice. It took me a whole hour to levitate a feather with a wand, the first time I tried a levitation spell. It took you thirty minutes less to do the same, without the use of a focus, and on a book."

"Really? But you're so good!"

Rayna laughed. "I have a long way to go before I reach anywhere near the level 'good'. Now, excuse me, but I have a lesson of my own to get to. Keep practising. Next time I see you, I want to see you be able to hold that book up for at least a minute. I'll teach you how to conjure flames next, if you manage it. Will you be able to come back here in three days?"

Arya nodded.

"I will see you then, in that case. Goodbye, Arya."

"Goodbye princess!"

With a smile, Rayna began heading to her rooms. She needed to change and grab her weapons before heading to the training fields. She was soon on the fields and saw her father waiting for her. "What are we doing today? And where are the others?"

"This is not their area of expertise. You know how to use your throwing weapons, now it is time to learn how to lace the blades with magic, which can add to the damage very effectively," Loki explained to her. "You will need to treat your knives and throwing stars almost as if they were wands. You want them to channel the magic, but only to the point where they retain it, and not expel it. When the blade hits something then, the magic will come into play. Even if it is a shield."

"So I could throw a knife, and say a Death Eater would shield against it, not expecting a spell, which would then shatter the shield, allowing me to get another knife or spell through?"

"Exactly. Now, we will begin with a petrification spell. Because of the nature of the blades and stars, the spell, when active, will only effect the limbs hit, so the best aim is for the torso, head or, in the case of Death Eaters, wand arms."

Rayna nodded, and they began to work.

* * *

Ingrid smiled as she watched them from the balcony. Rayna was progressing remarkably well. It was wonderful to watch. And watching her with Loki… they were forming a bond that she had hoped Rayna and James would share. It was impossible now, but Ingrid could think of no one better to take up James' role as Rayna's father. Loki had changed. He was still fiercely protective, but had adapted it to ensuring that Rayna was able to protect herself, instead of simply ensuring she was protected. He regularly sparred with Ingrid as well, helping her hone her own skills. They had both changed over their years apart. He was not the brother she remembered. She doubted she was the sister he remembered either. His anger at discovering his heritage, his time spent at the mercies of Thanos and then trying to help Rayna, they had all changed him, just as becoming mortal, fighting a war, becoming a mother and then dying had changed Ingrid. Both were still rebuilding themselves in their own ways, and had one focal point that linked them. Rayna.

Ingrid watched as Rayna took up one of her small knives and took aim at one of the enchanted training dummies, designed to move, especially for training exercises such as these. She threw the blade and hit the torso of the dummy. It froze for a moment, before bursting into movement again. The spell was weak, but her daughter was a quick learner. Ingrid was confident she would master the skill soon enough. By the proud look on Loki's face, he thought so too.

"She is doing well," a voice said.

Ingrid turned to see her father. "Yes, she is. I am very proud of her."

"I bet you are. We all are. However, I have another matter to speak to you about."

"Oh?"

"Ever since Amora left, we have not had a court Enchantress that has lasted long. Of course, now we know of her betrayal there is not a chance I will invite her back to her old position. There are no other contenders for it with strong enough magic and a high enough skill set and political ranking."

"Which is why there has been a steady stream of sorceress' coming and going from the position?" She felt excitement well as she thought she knew where this might just be going. The position of court Enchantress was a vaulted one. The woman would be involved in the realm's security, often acting as a magical advisor during battles and in more… sedate, political matters. Her role included seeing to and preserving the magical protections of the citadel, working closely with Loki, who had quickly established himself as Asgards best magic user, earning his position as the god of magic.

"Exactly. I need someone who is magically strong and skilled who cannot be opposed on political grounds. I want you to take the position."

"Of course!" She hugged her father tightly, smiling widely. When Amora had left, after she had discovered her plans, Ingrid had asked her father for the position, but had been denied, being told it was too unsafe for her to do so. He had not wanted to risk her heading into any battlefield situation. For him to offer her the position now showed he was willing to let her take her own risks now. That he would not wrap her in cotton wool anymore.

"And, obviously, in a few centuries, when you wish to retire, no doubt your daughter will be well placed to inherit your role."

Ingrid smiled. Rayna would definitely appreciate being given the chance, and recognise what it meant. While in the future she may not choose to take the position, when the time came she would be ready when she wanted to, or for anything else she wished to turn her hand to, befitting of a princess, of course.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it has taken so long, real life has been a mess. I managed to get this typed up, bit by bit, and today can publish it for you guys! I hope you enjoy! Please leave me a review!**


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